Discerning Cyclist | Le Col Cycling Neck Warmer

A few months back, Le Col kindly sent me one of the neck warmers to try out.

Now, I appreciate this is not at all seasonal – but at least you can plan well ahead for autumn and winter this year!

I’ve never previously worn a neck warmer before, and so was interested to see how this would compare to a scarf. But, after a few wears in the icey north German weather, I must admit I was quickly sold.

The Le Col Neck Warmer I tried out was the red version with white trimmings. The range has various other colours available too, including blue, pink, navy blue and fluo (fluorescent green/yellow) – all of which are adorned with a large Le Col logo on the outerside.

The inner side of the neck warmer is made from a gentle-on-the-skin white soft brushed fleece, which is lined to maximise warmth, while the exterior side is made from a nice light lycra (lycra can look good sometimes too, evidently).

This product is designed to be a multi-purpose accessory, with Le Col saying it can be warn as a mask, balaclava, neckerchief or sahariane (I had to Google the last one). But while it can perform as a balaclava when need, its primary function is certainly best suited as a neckerchief/neck warmer – although due to its generous length – it can be pulled up over the ears on particularly bitter days.

As well as on the bike and general ambling around town, I also found the neck warmer to be a valuable accessory when going for runs on icey days. While your body can quickly warm up in cold climes, taking in icey air can make breathing difficult, but with this Le Col number, I found taking in air to me substantially easier.

At £30, you can certainly get cheaper neck warmers and scarves, but I found this to be an excellent product for doing what it does, largely due to its lightweight, flexible design. The lightweight design also makes this accessory very easy to fold up and stuff in a pocket – much less faff than carrying around a scarf you regretted bringing with you.

If the price doesn’t turn you off, I’d certainly recommend giving the Le Col Neck Warmer a go next winter. But let’s enjoy the summer first!